Baltic Parliamentarians attend the European Maritime Day 2025

On 21-23 May 2025, Baltic parliamentarians attended the annual European Maritime Day, which was held in Cork, Ireland. During the event, the maritime community of Europe had the possibility to network, discuss and outline joint action on maritime affairs and sustainable blue economy. At the meeting, the delegation of the Baltic Assembly consisted of the President of the Baltic Assembly Jānis Vucāns, Vice President Giedrius Drukteinis and Vice Chair of the Latvian delegation Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis.

The Prime Minister of Ireland Micheál Martin opened the event by stating that seas and oceans are intrinsically linked with both society and the environment, and that the future of the economy is closely connected to maritime affairs. He described the maritime environment as a treasured national asset that supports marine life and biodiversity, underscoring the need for improved conservation efforts. He concluded by affirming that Europe plays a central role in shaping the maritime policy of Ireland.

Many topics were discussed, including the importance of maritime regions, the sustainable development of the blue economy, and the preservation of marine biodiversity. Key issues such as offshore wind infrastructure, subsea cable security, and maritime cybersecurity were addressed, alongside the launch of the EU Ocean Pact. Participants highlighted the need for integrated maritime governance, stronger cooperation across sea basins, and the alignment of maritime policies.

During a workshop on “Protecting Subsea Infrastructure” and a discussion on the necessity of amending the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), President of the Baltic Assembly Jānis Vucāns informed about the recent meeting of the BSPC Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience and Connectivity in Tallinn, where the same issue was also addressed. He advocated for a clearer interpretation of the existing UNCLOS provisions by developing and implementing non-binding regional codes of practice.

The European Maritime Day is the annual two-day event during which the maritime community of Europe meets to network, discuss, and outline joint action on maritime affairs and a sustainable blue economy. It provides an engaging and complete interactive experience to catch up on the current state of play on a broad range of issues concerning the blue economy and the marine environment. The next event will take place on 21-22 May 2026 in Limassol, Cyprus.

Read more here.

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